Chelsea fans have already been treated to their first glimpses of Liam Delap in blue owing to their efforts at the Club World Cup.
Whilst other Premier League sides rest, Chelsea are hard at work in the United States, and players like Liam Delap will welcome the chance to settle so quickly.
Micah Richards was impressed by Delap’s debut against LAFC earlier this week, and it’s clear that he can make a big difference at Stamford Bridge.
However, that might somewhat come at the expense of Nicolas Jackson, who hasn’t had a lot of competition up top since he signed for Chelsea.
Enzo Maresca made do with just one out-and-out striker last term, but Delap will now be pushing Jackson all the way.
It’s time for Chelsea to try Nicolas Jackson as a midfielder
That being said, Chelsea might actually be well-advised to try Jackson in a new position at times next season.
Speaking back in November, Maresca admitted in a press conference that Chelsea ‘sometimes use him almost as midfielder’, dropping into pockets during matches.
And now Maresca might be clever to try that tactic right from the start of matches.
Nicolas Jackson during Chelsea's Premier League match against Bournemouth.
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
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Jackson is brilliant off the ball, he’s an astute presser and he’s very good at shielding possession when needed.
And in Chelsea’s victory over LAFC in the US, Jackson was exceptional weaving through the middle of the pitch before he played Pedro Neto in with a deft pass to score.
If you didn’t know Jackson was a striker before watching his assist for Neto’s goal, you’d probably conclude that Chelsea had an excellent number eight on their hands.
Nicolas Jackson can be Chelsea’s very own Joelinton
Of course, Chelsea fans would be forgiven for thinking that a striker suddenly playing as a central midfielder would be a crazy idea.
But those doubters should probably take a look at Joelinton’s trajectory at Newcastle United in recent years.
Joelinton was struggling a lot more than Jackson as a number nine in the Premier League, but his switch to midfield has completely changed his career.
The Brazilian is now regarded as one of the most feared midfielders to face in England, and perhaps Jackson could follow suit.
There will obviously still be merit to play the £32m man as a striker on more occasions than not, but Maresca should explore the option of using Jackson in a deeper role when the opportunity arises.
Maresca has praised Jackson for ‘making an effort to understand the way we want to play’, and that attitude could lead to something quite special in a new role.